100 Oneshot Challenge
by kiizmit
Summary: I am taking Prin Pardus 100 oneshot challenge.
1. Injured

**Injured**

The wind whipped through the tree's as the storm raged. Mice cowered in there dens, birds settled into hollows in tree's, squirrels scurried to there nests. The sun was hidden behind the thick black clouds, rain pelted the ground turning the soft grass into a swamp. Any sane cat would be settled into there nest, but four apprentices were unfortunately not as cautious as many in there clan.

"C'mon Silverpaw" said a soft voice rising above the storm. A silver striped she cat slunk out from under a bush, her grey eyes darted around warily as she took in the sights of the storm. Three more cats padded out behind her.

"Blackpaw, this is a bad idea" mewed a white she cat glancing at the most confident looking of the cats, a white tom with a deep black tail.

"Don't be a mouse-tail Whitepaw, Silverpaw and Greypaw are up for it" said the tom his brown eyes catching what little light there was, they almost glowed in the gloom. Whitepaw shook her pale head and her older brother, a thick furred grey tom shifted closer to her to keep her warm.

"Blackpaw...Blackpaw is right. The clan needs prey, this storm has raged for two sunrises. We are starving. They will see us as heroes when we go back with food" mewed Silverpaw glancing at her three siblings. Blackpaw smiled proudly, if Silverpaw would go along with him he knew the other two would happily. Whitepaw and Greypaw gave each other a look, brown eyes met green and they seemed to sigh in unison before nodding.

"Were in" said Greypaw finally.

The wind whipped through the tree's as the storm raged. The tree's were battered and there branches whipped through the air. Leaves were torn, scattered coating the muddy ground. The apprentices fought on fighting off the storm.

"Silverpaw, Silverpaw look what I caught" mewed a chirpy voice. The silver she cat turned around and smiled, Whitepaw was dragging a large crow towards her. Her white fur was plastered to her sides, coated with mud but her brown eyes were bright.

"It was sat in a tree hiding from the rain, I leapt up and got it" she said tail lashing happily almost bouncing on her paws. Silverpaw let her grin widen and she padded to her sister helping her bury the prey.

"That a crow and three mice, I wonder what Greypaw and Blackpaw have" she mewed thoughtfully, it seemed her brothers heard as moments later they emerged from the surrounding tree's. Greypaw proudly held a large squirrel, Blackpaw carried two voles.

"The squirrel was darting up to its hideaway when Greypaw leapt for it" said Blackpaw laughing. The four cats laughed merrily when a large snapping made them look around fearfully instantly on alert. Greypaw sniffed the air his eyes wide.

"Pheasant" he said slipping into a crouch and padding towards the bushes. Whitepaw slid into an equal crouch and followed while Blackpaw and Silverpaw waited cautiously.

The wind whipped through the tree's as the storm raged. Smashes, shattering, breaking, flooding. The apprentices didn't stand a chance. A yelp of pain and fear shattered the wind filled air as a branch fell, it whipped through the air and slammed the young cat to the ground. Her siblings screamed in panic, the oldest bolted towards camp, his grey tail flying out behind him. A quiet whimper left the trapped she cat as her two remaining siblings slunk forwards. The two cats shared a scared look before curling around there sibling hoping there pelts would keep her warm. A pitiful mew echoed from between them, the scent of blood was evident but faint. The two cats shared another look praying to Starclan that they would be found soon.

The wind whipped through the tree's as the storm raged. Camp was chaos as the young apprentice ran in, his fur was plastered to there sides, mud was splashed up his legs, and his eyes were wide with fear.

"Greypaw, where have you been, where are your siblings" mewed a silver she cat leaping forwards her grey eyes angry and scared.

"Help, in the forest. Whitepaw is hurt" he said sinking to the ground with a pitiful mew. The silver she cat and a huge black tom shared a look of fear and the two sprang out of camp in an instant.

"Oakpelt, Dappleshine go with them" said a powerful voice as a golden brown tom cat leapt down from the Highstones that hung over camp. The brown tabby and dappled grey she cat nodded and bounded after the two frantic warriors. Greypaw lay on the ground trembling as the golden brown tom and a light brown she cat padded over to him.

"Come on Greypaw, your parents will get the others back here. You should come with me" she said gently helping him to his paws. The leader dipped his golden head and helped her support the young tom.

The wind settled, the clouds cleared. Four muddy warriors re-entered camp, all carrying a bundle. Two apprentices padded at there paws eyes hollow. All of the cats were splattered with mud. The golden leader left the medicine den and padded to them his paws sinking slightly in the swampy earth that currently made up there camp.

"Birchfur is waiting" he said softly to the silver queen who split of from the others. The two apprentices trembled as there mother walked away.

"Silverpaw, Blackpaw...I think you should spend the night in the warriors den with your father, if thats okay Nightclaw" the noble leader said softly. The two apprentices looked at each other and then up at the large black tom. Nightclaw nodded gently and herded his two kits towards the warriors den. The rest of the clan had gathered by now, the crowd was a mass of colour pelts as the two remaining warriors dropped there bundles on the ground, bundles that consisted of two voles, three mice, a crow and a squirrel.

"Well they certainly proved themselves tonight. Even if was against the rules" mewed Dappleshine softly. Oakpelt nodded in agreement before padding through the crowd towards the warrior den.

Morning rose over the clan swiftly, cats shifted from comfortable positions glad to hear the rain had stopped. In the warrior den two small apprentices snuggled closer to there fathers warm body as he gently shook them awake.

"Come on you too, we can go and see your brother and sister" he mewed softly. The young silver she cat leaning on him lifted her soft head, her grey eyes were clouded with fear.

"Will Whitepaw...will she blame us. It was all our idea" she mewed softly. Blackpaw also looked up his ears flattening to his head, the two cats looked at there father warily.

"I can't promise she won't, but as long as you didn't force her into it...she will forgive you with time" he mewed nudging them to there paws and out of the den.

The medicine den was warm when the two apprentices crept in with there father. A sweet, soft, soothing scent bombarded there noses and there worries seemed to drift away like mist on a lake. A soft purr reached there ears and in unison, born from moons of practise they turned to see there silver furred mother curled around there two siblings. Greypaw was awake and was gently being groomed. Whitepaw was curled up, eyes bleary and cobwebs wrapped thickly around her back leg. She lifted her head when her siblings entered, a soft smile lit up her muzzle as they padded over to her. She sat up nuzzling the two of them gently.

"I'm sorry if I got you in trouble" she mewed leaning back. Her two siblings muzzle's dropped and they looked confused.

"We got you injured, and your worried about us?" mewed Blackpaw in disbelief.

"You kept me warm, and you kept me awake...Thats what matters" she mewed softly as she gently lay back down wincing slightly.

"How...how bad it is?" mewed Silverpaw softly. There mother shook her silver head.

"Sprained, she will be stopped from training for a moon. Birdsong isn't happy with any of the four of you. She has no apprentice for a moon now, but...well" Frostwing cut of with a smile and looked at her daughter who grinned.

"No way are you three becoming a warrior without me" said Whitepaw bluntly flicking her tail happily. Her siblings all smiled, Greypaws was slightly more forced but he nuzzled his sister happily.

"We would wait for you" he promised and the other two nodded.

"We would always wait for you" promised Blackpaw lashing his black tail. Whitepaws face lit up as Birchfur padded over.

"Right, let your sister rest. Your going to aggravate her injury" she mewed sternly. The two apprentices nodded as Greypaw leapt to join them.

"You three are lucky. It could have been worse" mewed Nightclaw as his three bouncy, hyper, living kits bounded out.


	2. Sinking

The water was beautiful, cold, like icy claws brushing over my pelt, it was silver, blue, calm. My brown eyes were wide as they looked up above the surface of the lake that made up the left border of our territory, it was always calm here a place of peace. My fur floated around me, my heartbeat had slowed, the world had slowed, every movement of a bird, every fish that darted away and drifted back, and darted away again was slowed. I let out a sigh that bubbled around me, my struggles were tiring, agonising, it was becoming harder and harder to push myself. I chuckled, it was odd, death was staring me in the face and I was laughing underwater. I laughed again as I continued to sink. My paws refused to paddle any more. I felt so heavy, so tired, my eyes flicked closed, my mind blanked throwing me back to my kit hood.

...

I was grooming my long, thick, dark grey fur, my ears twitched feeling the happiness around camp. All the kits had been pushed out of the nursery as a queen, Smallfeather gave birth. Most of my denmates were playing together, a silly game, one where you stalked older cats, whoever stalked the highest ranking cat without being caught won, the warriors usually played along quite happily, but I didn't want to play, my usually clean fur had grown ragged and dirty in our last game, my soft white paws were covered in the red dust that made up the clearing of our camp.  
"Hey Ashkit" said a soft voice. I swiftly finished grooming my fur and twitched my paler ears as Emberkit, my best friend padded over to me. Her ginger fur was bright and clean, her white paws were shining. She glared at me noticing me looking at her fur.  
"Mum insisted on grooming me" she grumbled shaking herself to throw her fur out of place. I laughed and padded over to her. She was the total opposite to me, where I liked my fur to be clean she liked hers to be rough, ragged, all over the place. She liked muddy ears and dirty paws, she loved sinking into a nice pile of thick, oozy mud or rough, gritty sand.  
"You should go and roll in the mud plain" I said with a grin, knowing how best to get her out of her slump. Her amber eyes lit up and she glanced around, she didn't need to say a word, I knew what she was planning.  
"C'mon" she said and she darted out of a small tunnel at the side of camp. I stood up, slowly, carefully and looked around. The warriors were all busy and sounds of kitbirth still echoed from the nursery. I was clear, I swiftly followed her through the tunnel my paws landing flat on the soft earth outside.

Outside of camp was beautiful, I saw it again and again but I still loved it. The trees were huge, towering but we had little time to waste looking at trees, looking at leaves or branches. We needed to get Emberkit dirty again, needed to turn her ginger fur brown. We travelled swiftly through the forest, we did this far to often and didn't get caught. We knew the territory as well as the apprentices, maybe as well as most of the warriors. We reached mud plain quickly, it was an amazing place, pools of mud and pools of swampy water mingled with clear pools, long grass and small tree's. It was amazing, clear, beautiful. The loud croaks of frogs, squeaks of mice, scuttling sounds of voles. It was beautiful. I turned and grinned at Emberkit, she rolled her eyes, she knew how much I loved this place. She did to but would never admit it. I grinned at her again and padded over to a mud pool, I gently swirled it with my paw as Emberkit swiftly rolled in the sloppy, cool, damp mud. Her ginger fur was covered and stuck up all around. Her fluffy ears were covered in spiky fur. As she rolled I stalked through the grass, leapt over branches, flicked piles of leaves with my paw. I flicked my tail crouching, ready to pounce, a leaf floated in front of me and I tackled it in a flurry of paws.

We quickly ran back toward camp now that Emberkit was muddy again. I leapt through the gap in the camp wall, letting out a soft huff as I landed hard on my paws. Then I let out a gasp as we rolled into the paws of a huge, grey tom cat. His steely grey eyes were dark and angry as he looked down on us.  
"Stonestar" I mewed softly leaping to my paws crouching slightly in front of Emberkit.

...

I smiled despite my anguish, my pain. Me and Emberfur had gotten into so much trouble that day. Stonestar was so angry, her mother was angry, she was unlucky to have the leader as her father. My parents were disappointed but knew how boring it was when there were only a few kits in the whole camp, especially when one was injured. Emberkits brother at the time, Swiftkit had hurt his leg. We had been forced to care for the elders and our first day as apprentices we had to spend sat in camp, silently, guarding the entrance while Swiftkit, or Swiftpaw as he was got to explore . But it was worth it, it was always worth it to make her happy, Emerkits smile on that day, even if we were being punished...I could never forget it. I sighed again, my air was running out. I was going to die, I had no chance of living anymore, I would never see her again, never again tell her how I felt. I looked up, the sun was shining through the water, and a cat was looking at me yelling...Wait. Someone was there. I saw them jump. Felt the shockwave of there body hitting the water. Felt the water shift with there strong pawstrokes. The water around me bubbled as the cat swam down to me. But my eyes flickered closed.

...

The den was freezing. Me and Emberpaw were huddled together along with Swiftpaw, Sharppaw, Nightpaw and Lightpaw. Usually Firepaw and Blazepaw would be with us but they had gotten there warrior names the night before, they were now Firestorm and Blazestripe. And Minnowkit, Otterkit and Waterkit would be joining us in around a moon. I shivered and buried my head under my paw. I didn't want to get up, Emberpaw groaned from next to me, tucking herself into my side. I felt my body grow warm under my fur. She groaned again, a low, irritated sound and opened her eyes blearily.  
"Morning" I mewed softly. She sighed and closed her eyes with a grunt of irritation.  
"Not morning, to cold" she mewed pitifully sounding half asleep. I laughed softly and turned to prod Swiftpaw, his black and white fur was ruffled from sleep, moss caught in his fur, and small burrs behind his ears from the day before. He groaned, I couldn't not laugh, him and Emberpaw were so similar. The other two apprentice woke up when we started to move around and we all got up and headed into camp. I got to the den entrance and froze. It was white, everything was white. Emberpaw and Swittpaw joined me both looking confused. Emberpaw, ever daring, she put a paw into the white and leaped back in shock.  
"It's so cold, and wet" she mewed confused. A soft laugh came from behind us as Lightpaw padded forwards.  
"It's snow" he said ruffling his creamy fur.  
"It's wet, cold, but it doesn't hurt" he said and leapt from the den into the, the newly named snow. He sank into it and it came up his legs. He made a face and smiled.  
"Come on, this is the first snow of leafbare" he purred and batted the white stuff at us. It was cold, wet, fun. We leapt from the den rolling into the cold white. A smile lit up our muzzles.

...

I will never forget that day, it was amazing. Half of the clan had joined in with our snow fight. Even Stonestar had gotten involved. I smiled and then let out a gasp as teeth grabbed my scruff. My eyes flickered open, my head swished through the water. The cat that had leapt in was pulling me up, black fur glinted in the corner of my eye as I was pulled up. He swam, he was strong, we broke the surface and I gasped pulling in a huge lungful of air. My eyes flickered open and the large black and white tom panted in relief.  
"We need to get you to camp. Your not allowed to die out here Ashstripe. My sister needs you. Your kits need you" he mewed.  
"My kits?" I gasped as realisation hit.  
"Emberfur gave birth" I yowled leaping to my paws, falling and leaping up again. Swiftwing gave me a smile a nodded. I was a father, I had kits, I was no longer sinking.


	3. Father

He was strong, brave, loyal, kind, a true warrior, the deputy of Valleyclan. My father was everything to me, the hero of Valleyclan. Saviour of kits, of apprentices, friend to all, the nicest cat you could meet, loyal to Valleyclan. He could do no wrong in the clans eyes, and then slowly he changed. He became cold, ruthless, rogues and loners were killed on sight, the killer in Valleyclan. Kits with problems were shunned, forced out of sight, abandoned by Valleyclan. The instant he became leader he became a monster, a demon, he wasn't my father anymore. He was wrong, he changed. He became everything he swore to protect us from, he became a demon within the clan.

One day, while I was an apprentice he took me out of camp. We travelled into the forest, where he led me to a clearing under the roots of a tree and sat me down.  
"Riverpaw, you are the strongest of my four kits. The greatest, the bravest. I have chosen you for a special mission. I want you to do this for me" he said his voice a cold purr. I looked up, his brown, dusty coloured fur was so different to my light silver, but our eyes were the same, the same bright blue. His had turned cold in the last few years. They had turned icy, bitter and cruel. But I nodded, he was my father, my leader, I knew the penalty for disobeying him.

"What do you need sir" I mewed softly, he insisted cats referred to him as sir now, to show true respect for his position in the clan. The thought made me shudder, but it was better than dying.

"I want you to kill Foxpaw and Mousepaw" he said his voice a sharp, cold purr. My blue eyes widened in shock, the image of my green eyed ginger brother, and small, grey sister swam through my head.

"But, they are your kits, my siblings. You can't mean it?" I hissed leaping to my paws hoping this was some kind of test. If only I was so lucky. His blue eyes narrowed angrily, there icy depths seemed to dig through my skin into my very being. I crouched low as he took two small steps towards me and raised his paw above my head as if to strike.

"Don't refuse me Riverpaw, the only reason Otterpaw isn't on the list is because I know he can still be saved, you can save your brother. But if you refuse to do this...He joins Foxpaw and Mousepaw" hissed the tom I once called Father. My head dropped as I nodded, Otterpaw was the sibling I was closest to, he was everything to me. If I had to lose Foxpaw and Mousepaw to save him...then so be it.

The moon was high in the sky as I padded along the rocky ground of the valley. Night time hunting was what my clan excelled in, hunting along the valley, the cliffs, hidden in the shadows. I let out a soft growl and darted into a rugged bush as two cats barrelled past me after a mountain hare. The ginger fur of the tom, the grey fur of the she cat. There bright green eyes grew brighter and brighter in my mind as I slipped from the shadows and stalked after them. They had made this too easy, made there own demise impossible to prevent. I slipped after them, sticking to the shadows, the rocky grey cliffs, I was almost invisible. They skidded to a stop near the cliff, a swift pounce, the splash of blood on the rock. The hare was dead, soon they would join it. I stepped ever closer and they turned to look at me, grins on there faces, there eyes lit up.

"Riverpaw" said Mousepaw, a hint of glee in her voice as I stepped to her side. Foxpaws green eyes were bright as he smiled at me.

"Well, well, if it isn't our favourite sister" he said playfully with a mocking bat at my head. I forced a reluctant smile onto my muzzle. I didn't want to do this, didn't want to play at being there friend. Not with what I had to do.

"That was an amazing catch" I said my voice soft. Mousepaws eyes lit up again, she flicked her fluffy grey tail looking embarrassed.

"Was nothing" she said softly looking away with a small smile. I chuckled.

"No really, it was amazing" I said. I stepped closer, this was it, she was right at the edge, it was so easy. I shifted my weight suddenly and rammed my shoulder into her, her legs gave way and she let out a gasp as she slipped backwards. I launched myself at Foxpaw who was frozen in shock. Mousepaw was slipping behind me as I sunk my teeth into my brothers shoulder, he woke, his fangs bared, teeth sharp as he dug them into me. I felt the flesh on my shoulder part as he sliced, bit, claws. But I stood firm and pushed him back. Her paws, his paws, scrabbling against the rockside. They slipped, fell, a splash of blood on the rock. My shoulder ached, but it was done. Otterpaw would be safe, my father would keep to his word.

As I stumbled into camp gasps erupted, even my father managed to look shocked as I looked around the gathered cats. This is where my lie would really need to work.

"Foxpaw, Mousepaw...they are dead" I said my voice soft. Gasps of outrage, cries of how and where erupted around me. My father and his ever loyal deputy Eaglecreek padded over to me.

"What happened Riverpaw" my father said, his voice was convincing, it contained the perfect amount of sadness. He was so much better at this then I was.

"We were on the cliff, they were chasing a hare...they got so close to the edge and Mousepaw stumbled. I ran up to help, Foxpaw was barely able to hold onto her. Her body slipped and he slipped with her, he tried to grab me, I tried to grab him. He was holding onto my shoulder with his teeth, I couldn't pull him up. It hurt so much...I lost my grip, he couldn't hold anymore and fell. He was gone" I said my voice cracking with true grief. The clans shocked mews settled and an air of despair settled over the gathered cats. My fathers blue eyes closed as my mother let out a grief filled wail for her kits. If only she knew the truth.

"Riverpaw, I commend you for trying to save your siblings. Go and see Iceflower for your shoulder" said my father in a soft, sickly sweet voice. I looked up, catching his eyes with my own and nodded.

"Yes Duststar" I murmured. I took a step towards the medicine den before his words stopped me.

"There bodies?" he said with the voice of an anguished father. My eyes flickered closed, a short gasp escaped me as I lost my footing. A body supported me instantly, brown fur, a warm scent as I turned to look at my father again.

"You don't want to see" I said bluntly as Otterpaw helped me struggle to the medicine den. My mothers anguished wails, my aunt trying to comfort her, the last sounds I heard before I passed out.

The next morning was horrible, the vigil for my siblings had happened with no bodies. Otterpaw hadn't left my side all night. My father called me to his den at Sunhigh. My paws trembled under me, the last time he had called me like this I had been ordered to kill my siblings. I didn't want to know what he wanted this time and went to the den with a heavy heart.

"Father" I said softly from outside his den. I heard his large form shift as he moved.

"Enter" he said in a soft growl. My fur bristled as I padded through the vine covered entrance into the warm, open space. The den was inside a broken trunk, away from the rest, near the back of camp. Vines had been allowed to grow over the entrance to create a warmer den.

"Riverpaw, sit" he said sitting up and looking at me as I entered. I sat, my paws gently kneaded the soft ground as my father cast an appraising look over me as I waited for him to speak.

"You did well my daughter. Well done" he said finally. I looked up, confusion etched on my features as a cold smile flickered across his muzzle.

"You have been most useful to me" he continued and I flinched as he lowered himself to look into my eyes. His breath was rank, the smell of rotting prey and death spread outward from him and I shuddered. It seemed to amuse him because he chuckled darkly before batting me playfully with one paw, almost exactly how Foxpaw had the night before. My eyes closed with regret before he spoke again.

"You will continue to do these things for me Riverpaw, you will become my protégée, you will become great, the greatest in all the clans. You will bring Otterpaw to our cause, your brother will be so much more willing when he knows you agree with my actions" he said with a warm smile. I had no choice, my heart sank fearfully as I lifted my silver head and nodded.

"Yes father"


End file.
